Darry Goes to the Dentist
by Vienna Warren
Summary: Darry Curtis is the oldest, the most responsible. He isn't scared of anything. Well, with one exception: the dentist. What will happen when has no choice but to get his wisdom teeth removed?
1. Chapter 1: My Jaw Hurts

Darry Goes to the Dentist

**Author's Note****: Hey y'all! Happy Thanksgiving! Well, I just wanted to write this because I had a dentist appointment yesterday, and my mom was joking about how it's probably about time to get my wisdom teeth removed. Well, there's nothing I hate more than the dentist, so I just wanted to write this little fic. Tell me what y'all think and if I should continue! :D Thanks!**

CHAPTER I: My Jaw Hurts

"Why can't you ever just use that head of yours? You're s'posed to be smart!" Darry yelled, furious.

"I do use my head!" Pony spat back, just as viciously. I was caught in the middle, as usual. Pressing my hands over my ears, I tried to convince myself. _Pony and Darry aren't fighting, Pony and Darry aren't fighting_, I repeated the mantra in my mind.

"Why don't you ever listen to me?" Darry shouted, his body growing bigger.

"Why don't you ever listen to _me_?" Ponyboy screamed, shooting up in height as well. The more they quarreled, the more they both grew. Soon, they were both giants, thundering voices threatening to break the house in two.

"Guys!" I cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted. "Y'all love each other! You don't need to be fightin'!" 

But they continued to stomp around, not even paying any attention to me. I let out a shriek as Darry's huge foot stepped over my small figure, until it crushed me. 

I woke up, drenched in sweat. Thank God it had just been a nightmare. I hadn't had one of those since Mom and Dad died. I slowly got out of bed, careful not to wake Pony, who was asleep next to me. I groggily wandered into the dark kitchen, only to bump into a dark figure. I jumped about a foot in the air.

"Soda?" Darry whispered.

"Yeah, it's me. I was just gettin' some water. What are you doin'?" I asked him, fixing myself a glass of tap water.

"Gettin' an aspirin. My jaw is killin' me." he groaned, rubbing it.

"Are you sure it's your jaw? Maybe we should go to the dentist and-"

"No." Darry cut in sharply. If there's anything my older brother hated more, it was going to the dentist. That was probably his biggest fear. I couldn't even remember the last time we went there.

"It's my jaw, I'm sure of it!" he attempted to convince me. I rolled my eyes.

"Uh huh. And I'm a flyin' monkey."

"Cut it out an' go to bed, Soda." Darry ordered, still massaging his jawline.

"'Kay." I muttered, setting my cup down. "G'night."

"Night, kid brother." Darry replied. 

The next morning, we all got up early before Darry left for work. As we were eating breakfast, I noticed how gingerly he was chewing his food.

"Your jaw still hurt?" I inquired. He simply nodded.

"Your jaw hurts?" Ponyboy asked, curious.

"Nope," I told him. "It's really his teeth but he won't admit it because he's scared to go to the dentist."

"It ain't my teeth. It's my jaw that hurts, I swear!" Darry argued.

"Really Darry, maybe we ought to get you checked out at the dentist." I suggested, swallowing a huge bite of my toast.

"No!" he said foolishly, crossing his arms like a child.

"C'mon Dare, just one little check-up!" Pony pleaded with him.

"Nuh uh. Not on my life." 

Just then, Steve strolled into the house.

"Hey, Sodapop! Ready to head down to the DX?" he asked, sitting down and helping himself to my eggs.

"Not until we get Darry to go to the dentist. He says his jaw hurts but I can tell it's his teeth." Steve chuckled.

"Ah, so he's still scared of the dentist, huh?" Steve grinned.

"I ain't scared of the dentist and it's my _jaw._ J-A-W. How many times do I have to say it?" Darry grunted angrily.

"Just take the day off, Superdope. One tiny check-up won't kill you."

With a reluctant moan, Darry gave in to the pain.

"Fine. But _just_ a check-up, nothin' more."


	2. Chapter 2: Fluoride and Bad News

**Author's Note****: Well, this chapter's real short, but there'll be another chapter! So, just tell me what y'all think! :) Thanks! **

CHAPTER II: Fluoride and Bad News

As I turned into the parking lot, Darry, who was sitting shotgun, frowned. The sign above the door had a purple smiley face and the words, 'Dr. Jameson's Children's Dentistry'.  
>"Soda, this is a kids' dentist. I'm 20 years old."<br>"Nobody's too old for Dr. Jameson!" I declared, making Pony laugh. If we hadn't have dropped off Steve at the gas station, I think he would've chuckled too. I parked the ancient vehicle and me and Ponyboy stepped out of it. I waited for Darry to get out. He didn't.  
>"Darry! Let's go, c'mon!" I rapped on the window with my knuckles. Darry shook his head, his hair flipping around.<br>"Oh, god Pony. He's not comin'." I groaned. This could take awhile.  
>"Darry, you're actin' like a kid! Just come on inside!" Ponyboy tried. Darry just stared straight ahead. I cursed loudly.<br>"Pony, we gotta do plan B." I told him sternly.  
>"An' what's plan B again?" he asked. I rolled my eyes.<br>"Uh, draggin' Darry out of the car on three?" I expained, making my way over to the passenger side.  
>"Gotcha!" Ponyboy responded, following my lead.<br>"Okay. One. Two. THREE!" I yelled, throwing open the car door and grabbing one of Darry's arms while my younger brother gripped the other. Tugging hard, we just barely managed to drag him out. I slammed the door.  
>"God, Darry. It's just a check-up." I said with disbelief. He slowly stood up from the ground and brushed himself off.<br>"Y'know what? Y'all are right!" he informed us. "Just a check-up." he muttered to himself as we walked up to the doors and the front desk. Darry inhaled sharply.  
>"Ugh. Do you smell that? Latex gloves an' strawberry fluoride. Disgustin'..." he whispered to Pony. I tried my hardest not to say anything to sarcastic. He only acted like this at the dentist. I strolled up to the lady at the front desk.<br>"Hi. Uh, my name's Sodapop and we're here to schedule my brother Darry for an appointment." I explained.  
>"Oh, of course! Do you guys mind wating for ten minutes?" she asked me.<br>"Nah, that's cool. We can stick 'round for awhile."  
>She glanced at my two brothers for a second and then turned to Pony.<br>"You must be Darry!" Ponyboy laughed.  
>"Nope, that's me." Darry answered, raising his hand a little. The nurse looked a little surprised.<br>"Oh, okay then. Well, can you sign right here and... here."  
>After he signed, we sat down in some chairs in the waiting room.<br>"Hey look! The have free coffee! Darry, can I get some?" Ponyboy begged, eyeing the little coffee stand like a tiger staring down its prey.  
>"Sure. Knock yourself out." Darry responded. "But not really." he added, just to make sure.<br>After the required ten minutes, a nurse in a white dress came out to the room.  
>"Darrel Curtis?" she asked to nobody in particular. Darry stood up shakily.<br>"That's me."  
>"Are you ready for your appointment?" she asked him smiling. He nodded.<br>"Ready as I'll ever be. Pony, Soda, y'all comin'?" he asked us, giving me a look that practically screamed 'come-with-me-or-I'll-beat-y'all's-heads-in-later'.  
>"Why, sure!" I exclaimed, with false excitement. Pony just followed us. The nurse took us back to a room and sat Darry down in a chair.<br>"First, we're just going to clean your teeth with fluoride. Do you want strawberry, grape or cherry?" Darry shuddered.  
>"Strawberry, I guess." As she was brushing his teeth, we just stood there and stared.<br>"Have you been having any problems lately? I noticed that you haven't been to the dentist in over four years." she noted, giving him a cup of water to rinse his mouth out.  
>"Nope, no problems whatsoev-"<br>"Yeah, he says that his jaw hurts, but I think its his teeth." I cut in for him. Darry shot me an evil glare.  
>"Oh really? Well that doesn't sound good." the nurse said, looking around in his mouth. "Oh good, here comes Dr. Jameson now!" she said.<p>

A man in a doctor's uniform walked up to Darry.

"Darrel Curtis? I haven't seen you in here since you were about seven years old!" he exclaimed with disbelief. "How've you been?" he inquired.  
>"Pretty good. My jaw kinda hurts though."<br>"Well let's take a peak then, huh?"

The dentist poked around in Darry's mouth for a bit. Then he stopped and looked at him.

"Just as I thought." he said, his suspicions confirmed. We all stared at him.  
>"What?" Darry asked, alarmed.<br>"It's your wisdom teeth son. They're going to have to be removed."


	3. Chapter 3: Conclusion and Tom & Jerry

**Author's Note****: Well, this chapter's kind of short too…. And by 'kind of short', I mean REALLY short. Sorry! Next chapter wilI be the longest. After that, I'll take some more requests if y'all have 'em. Lemme know. ;D **

CHAPTER III: The Conclusion and Tom & Jerry

"Are you kiddin' me? My wisdom teeth have to be taken out?" Darry asked the dentist.

"Yes, if you want to stop the pain. It's just going to get worse. I recommend you come in tomorrow just to get it over with."

Darry's face went pale. This was like his worst nightmare coming true. As Pony patted his shoulder sympathetically, I answered the dentist for Darry.

"Yeah, that'd be great. We'll be back here tomorrow at 'round..."

"One in the afternoon." Dr. Jameson supplied for me.

"One o'clock." I repeated.

"One o'clock." Darry echoed as if he were doomed.

"Okay boys, thanks for coming in! And Darrel, no eating or drinking for at least an hour." He merely nodded, in a daze, as me and Ponyboy led him out to the car. It was total silence as I drove home. It was strange. I felt like I was the older brother since Darry was so freaked out. Pony cleared his throat and attempted to cheer our actual oldest brother up.

"Aw, Darry it ain't that bad..." he started, only to be interrupted.

"Yes it is! It's like surgery and it'll _hurt_." he declared. I shook my head.

"Nuh uh. They put you to sleep first, so you don't feel a thing." Darry rolled his eyes.

"Oh great. So they'll drug me, yank out some teeth and ship me home?" Why did he have to be so melodramatic when he was afraid?

"Darry, c'mon man. It's not like that. Really." I tried to convince him.

"How would you know? You've had your wisdom teeth out before?"

"Well, no. But I've heard that-" I began, only to me cut off.

"Uh huh. Sure." he grumped. He was acting like a three-year-old! Pony seemed to sense the tention.

"Hey, how 'bout the gang hangs out with us tonight? It's not like they'll be _doin'_ anythin' tonight anyway." Pony piped up.

"Sure." Darry answered. Everybody was quiet the rest of the way home.

Later that night, everybody was crowed in the living room watching "Tom and Jerry", Dally's favorite show. He laughed like a maniac as Tom was cruelly hit in the face by a shovel. Two-bit rolled his eyes and flipped his hair out of his face.

"When will Mickey Mouse be on again?" he whined. Everybody groaned.

"I think I've seen enough Mickey for my entire life." Steve commented. "Tom and Jerry are like a breath of fresh air." I laughed and glanced at Darry. He had be quiet the whole evening. He was sitting on the couch next to me. I elbowed him in the ribs.

"You okay?" I whispered. He sighed.

"Yeah, just nervous." Johnny, who was planted on the floor directly in front of us, looked up at us with his big eyes.

"Whatcha nervous 'bout?" he asked innocently. Darry looked at him for a second.

"Oh. Uh, I'm just gettin' my wisdom teeth out tomorrow. I hate the stupid dentist." he grumbled, crossing his arms. I watched as Pony whispered something in Johnny's ear.

"Hey, I can come with y'all to keep you company Darry!" he suggested.

"That'd be real nice." Darry smiled at Johnny's kindness.

"Go where? I wanna go!" Two-bit announced, turning to Darry.

"Well, I gotta go to the d-dentist tomorrow to get my teeth pulled out." my oldest brother explained. He gulped.

"He's a little worried about it." I told them, giving Darry a comforting grin.

"Well, hell, why don't we all just go then?" Dally asked, eyes still glued to the screen.

"That be great." Darry murmured, lost in his own anxious thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4: The Day of Fate

**Author's Note****: I'm just gonna stop telling y'all that the chapter is really short because they're all gonna be short lol! Okay, well there's one more chapter after this, thanks to everyone who's reading! :D**

CHAPTER IV: The Day of Fate

"Who's ready to get some teeth pulled? WHOO!" Two-bit yelled excitedly as we pulled out of the drive. Dallas elbowed him abruptly.

"Shut up, he's already nervous as it is. We don't need you adding to the anxiety." Dally hissed. Two-bit rubbed his arm and frowned. Sitting next to me, Darry looked awful. He had dark circles under his eyes and he was as white as a sheet. We hadn't even stepped foot in the dentist's office yet!

"You okay?" I asked carefully, eyeing Darry. He gulped.

"Yeah, I'm fine." he said shakily. He could be a real bad liar sometime. Ponyboy leaned over the seat and patted him on the shoulder. I just couldn't wait to get this whole thing over with. Then Darry would act like normal and I wouldn't have to pretend that I was the older one.

Once we actually got there, I started to feel nervous. What if Darry didn't even get out of the car? Thankfully, as the gang climbed out, so did Darry. But he was real quiet. We all trudged into the office silently. All except for Steve, who was popping his gum loudly. While I checked in at the counter, all of the us of them sat down in the waiting room. I went to sit with them. The place was completely empty except for us.

After about five minutes, Dr Jameson appeared.

"Ready to go, Darrel?" Darry's head snapped up.

"Uh, no." Oh God.

"Well, it's time to get started. It's not that bad, promise." Dr Jameson attempted to make Darry more comfortable. Two-bit stood up.

"Hey, that's cool man, we'll all come with you!" he suggested. Darry exhaled in relief and stood up.  
>"Whoa wait. Not all seven of you. The room would be too crowded and-" Dallas leapt out of his chair. He crossed the room and got all in the dentist's face.<p>

"Okay, look. We're his friends and to be honest, he's a little worried 'bout this whole thing. I'm gonna strongly suggest you let us in the room with him. Or else there'll be trouble. Got it?" Dally growled. Dr. Jameson swallowed.

"I g-guess that would be fine." he stammered a little, leading us all back to the room. I hugged Darry real quick so the others wouldn't notice. He probably need one anyway.

"Okay Darrel, just sit down in the chair." Dr. Jameson ordered, pointing to a navy blue dental chair. Darry reluctantly sunk down into it. Everybody was squished around Darry, the dentist and that nurse. I had to give it to him; he was right. The room was real crowded.

"Now the first thing we have to do is numb your mouth. All we have to do is inject a little of this-"

"Inject? Like a shot?" Darry asked. The dentist blinked.

"Well, yes. It's absolutely necessary, just hold still..." Darry started wriggling around.

"Wait! I changed my mind! I can take the tooth pain, it's okay! Yankin' out my teeth ain't necesary, I'll be fine, I-"

"Nurse? We'll have to sedate him. Here son, put this on." Johnny looked scared.

"Hey, why're you puttin' that mask on him?" Dr. Jameson finished fitting the mask on Darry and turned to Johnny.

"It's a new thing that helps make patients... more calm." Steve rolled his eyes.

"Oh, that's simple. Just like drugs, huh?" Two-bit looked angry, which rarely happened.

"You're puttin' Darry on _drugs_?" Darry stopped fighting, and his eyes glazed over. Dr. Jameson stuck him with the needle.

"Not exactly. Nurse!" When the nurse came over with the plier-looking things, I shut my eyes. As many rumbles I had been too, I still tended to get nauseous around blood and stuff. Peeked out of my hands and saw Pony was looking away too. Huh.

By the time they had gone through the whole process, Dally had fallen asleep leaning against the wall, and Two-bit and Steve had resulted to playing that hand game, Concentration, to entertain themselves. Johnny was in the corner, reading some torn up paperback and Ponyboy was silently reading over his shoulder.

"Okay boys, he's all yours." Dr. Jameson announced, taking off his mask. Darry blinked. He began giggling.

"Hey... hey, y'all have two eyes! Two of them!" Darry laughed, slapping his leg. Everybody looked at him as if he had gone insane.

"He'll be a little... off, per say, for a couple of hours. It's just the laughing gas wearing off." Steve smirked.

"It seems to be workin' real good." he said, nodding towards Darry, who was still laughing.

"Can you believe it? Chuck Berry said he loves my shirt!" I grabbed his arm and helped him to his feet.

"Let's go, Dare." I told him. We all filed out of the room, Johnny gently shaking Dally awake as they left.

"Oh, and his mouth is still numb!" the dentist called after us. Great. But at least this whole thing was over.


	5. Chapter 5: Delirious

**Author's Note****: First of all, this can't even legally be **_**called **_** a chapter; it's way too short. Secondly, I'm really REALLY sorry about how long I've been gone. No, I did not die and resurrect. I have something annoying to do almost every day: SCHOOL. So, sorry and to those still reading, THANKS! :D**

CHAPTER V: Delirious Darrel 

The normally boring ride home was made increasingly interesting because of Darry's rambling.

"So tell us again Darry," Two-bit tried to gain control of his fit of giggles before he continued. "Tell us again how you managed to have a drink with the Easter Bunny." Dally snorted as Johnny tried hard not to laugh. Darry stretched.

"Well, I mean, we were at this bar, y'know, and she…. she just walked up to me, so I say, "Hey babe, you wanna drink?"" he recalled proudly. Pony cracked up loudly. Pretty soon, everyone was laughing, including Darry.

As soon as we stepped inside, Darry stumbled over to the kitchen so fast he almost fell. Dally caught him by the arms and hoisted him back on his feet.

"Getcher hands off me, fool!" Darry snapped. "I'm thirsty!" Dally rolled his eyes.

"Well, excuse me, Ms. Prissy-pants." He said sarcastically, causing Two-bit to snicker.

"Here, it's okay." I told Darry and handed him a glass of water. He eagerly raised the cup to his mouth and tilted it back. The water in the cup completely missed his mouth and poured all over Darry's shirt. He cussed loudly.

"Whatcha do that for?" Johnny asked, curious.

"His mouth's numb, Johnnycake. That means he can't feel nothin' round his mouth area." I saw Pony failing to hide his grin as I said, 'mouth area'.

"Nice, goin' Superdope!" Steve congratulated Darry at his impressive feat, clapping him on the shoulder.

I was now dreading the day when I would have to get my wisdom teeth pulled out. Spitting water all over myself and acting delirious was noton _my_ to do list.


End file.
